Western Bulldogs player Mitch Wallis came face to face with Werribee Open Range Zoo’s resident Bulldogs supporter – an Eastern barred bandicoot named Heywood Gia – during a visit last week.
Wallis and teammate Adam Cooney visited the zoo as part of the club’s annual Bulldog Blitz to encourage supporters to “love their locals”.
Zoo spokeswoman Kimberley Polkinghorne said the bandicoots used to live in the grasslands of western Victoria, but now existed only in zoos and predator-proof release sites.
The Western Bulldogs are encouraging people to help the zoo’s captive breeding program by collecting five-cent coins for a “Common Cents Challenge”.
